Life Support
by Donner Dumott Schunard
Summary: Speedrent entry. Angel's first Life Support meeting.


You should put a big sign on my head that says "ANGEL WHORE." I'm so passed "obsession" it's not even funny.

**Disclaimer: I don't own RENT.**

**Life Support**

**By Donna**

Angel kicked at the crumbling sidewalk. He looked at the flyer in his hand. _"Have AIDS and don't know how to cope? You're not alone! Join **Life Support** or life is yours to miss!". _He had called the man in charge, Paul, and he seemed nice. He had a rather sweet voice that didn't treat him like he was tainted meat for having AIDS.

"How the hell did this happen?" Angel asked, spinning around. He didn't walk around looking for sex. It just... happened. If it seemed right he did it. Everyone did it. Why did he get it?

Angel shrugged to himself. "It's probably more of a who doesn't get it now..." he said to himself, remembering that he saw on the news that women were getting it at an alarming rate. "AIDS is not biased, for sure."

"Hey, you going to Life Support?" a man asked, walking up to him.

Angel turned his head. "Huh? Oh. Yeah."

"Hey, me too," the guy said, shaking his hand. "I'm Gordon, and you are?"

"Angel."

"Come on! We don't wanna be late!"

They walked to the old auditorium. Gordon opened it for them and allowed Angel to go in. Angel mumbled thanks and they walked to a small circle of chairs in front of a stage. A man with dark hair was going through some notes. He looked up. "Hi, Gordon! Hi... Angel, right?"

Angel smiled, blushing. "Yeah." He never met someone who made a point to know his name so quickly.

"Come on, sit down... you're early!" Paul exclaimed.

They sat down. More people came in. They all looked different. Men, woman, even one that appeared transsexual. They all sat down and looked a little tense.

Angel sat straight, looking into their sad, dead eyes. He shuddered. Why did he do this? He was better off living on AZT and his drums... alone.

"First, everyone, I want you to say your names. Some of us are new here. Go," Paul ordered.

"Gordon."

"Ally."

"Hi, I'm Sue."

"Pam."

"Jake."

"Alex."

"Roberta."

"...oh! Right... I'm Alice."

Angel looked around and realized that he was next. "H-hi... I'm Angel."

Paul nodded in approval. "I'm Paul. Let's begin. Anyone want to start?"

"Hey new guy! How'd you get here?" the transsexual, Roberta, asked.

"If I knew I'd tell you," Angel murmured, "I don't know."

"It's okay if you're embarrassed," Roberta mumbled. "Can't be as bad as me."

"What happened to you?" Angel asked.

"Illegal hormones. Some girls and I chipped in and we only had one needle and we all got it. Lesson learned, to say the least."

Angel nodded. "Well... I think I might know who I got it from."

He shifted in his chair.

"Uh huh?" Paul asked, trying to push him gently. "Tell us."

"Well... you know how it goes... you think the guy is the best thing ever... and you obey his every command... the women get this, right?"

The women, and Roberta, nod. "Yeah, we do, honey."

"Well, you know, I was stupid and trusted him in whatever he did and he said he loved me. So... we had sex."

"Yeah. Always so simple, right?" asked Alice.

"Always," Angel said. "And we were good for a few months and then I found out..."

There was silence in the room for a moment.

"...he cheated."

"So you dumped him on the spot, right? I would have," Sue said.

"Of course I did. I couldn't stand looking at him," Angel said, "I dumped him and after a month or two I was feeling like shit and they took blood and a week later a piece of paper was staring back at me with the words, 'you have been tested positive for the HIV antibody.' And here I am, miraculously, a year later."

Some people clapped.

Roberta patted his shoulder. "You're a sweet kid, you know that?"

"That took a lot of guts to go up and say that," Paul added. "Thank you, Angel."

Somehow the tension caused in the room was broken.

"Please tell me he was good-looking at least!" Pam exclaimed, "If he was ugly, I'd die!"

"He was gorgeous, don't worry. I'm picky with guys," Angel said, laughing.

"How do you like them?" Pam asked.

"Black like my coffee," Angel joked.

"I knew it!" Roberta yelled, "You're so obvious!"

"Girls, please!" Paul said, trying the break it up.

Angel covered his cheeks. "I'm sorry!"

"Don't be," Paul said, "I think this is probably going to be one of the best meetings we've had."

"Can I say something?" Gordon asked as it died down.

"Sure, Gordon," Paul said.

"I just want to say... that we're living in the center of the universe... and all we can do is gripe... so... maybe we should do meetings more like this... less tense... right?"

"Right!" Alice said in agreement.

"There's only us," Pam said, "There's only this."

"Forget regret, or life is yours to miss!" everyone ended, laughing.

Angel looked at the decorated place. "It's almost Christmas..."

"Yeah! I love Christmas," Roberta said. "Every year I dress up in my fabulous Santa outfit and give gifts and everything... hey, Angel, you want to join me and be my elf or something?"

Angel nodded. "Sure! I'd love to!"

"We'll have details later," she said, flipping her hand. "Okay... so... how's everyone holding up with paying _three hundred dollars _for some of the medication? I mean, seriously! We're poor!"

When the meeting ended, Roberta pulled Angel off to the side. "Okay. Meet me at my place." She handed him a piece of paper with her address. "We'll plan this all out. You ever dress in drag?"

"...not really."

"Well, you must start! I need an heir to my throne. _Someone _has to get all my costumes when I die. And you're about the right size and you're certainly going to live longer than me. So come on! You'll love it... trust me."

Angel nodded. He looked at Paul. Paul nodded to him. Angel whispered, "Thanks" and got his stuff.

Even though this life was going to be back by disease, it was going to be different and he was going to remember four simple words to keep him going.

_No day but today._

**END **


End file.
